In those species of animals in which the females have a limited mating period known as estrus, and, particularly, where the animals are household pets, it frequently is desirable for one or more reasons to avoid the usual associated phenomena. Such phenomena, as when the animal is a dog, include the attracting of males from a fairly wide region as well as serious disturbance in the behavior of attracted males which are prevented from mating with the animal which is in season. Further, where the owner of the animal wishes to breed the female selectively, it becomes necessary to take the most rigorous precautions to keep unwanted males away. Another situation which is frequently extremely awkward is the introduction of a bitch in heat into a dog show. Thus, where male dogs are kenneled or housed near a bitch in season and not allowed access, the males may go off their feed or change in temperament so that they may not be shown to their best advantage, and the distress of the males may be evidenced as continuous whining and barking which can be extremely annoying. This last situation could result in a serious loss in income and prestige to the owner of the dog since the owner might have planned to show the dog with a view to winning an award.
In view of the various difficulties attendant on estrus in an animal when it is desired to control or prevent mating, it would obviously be desirable to be able to eliminate or overcome the effects of the sexual excitants emitted by the animal. Various attempts have been made, mostly along the line of the use of masking odors. However, such attempts have not been particularly successful largely because of the fact that nature has designed the olfactory nerves of the males of the various species so that they are extremely competent at detecting the presence of even a few molecules of the excitant in the air that they breathe.
Attempts to eliminate the excitant by feeding specific reagents to the animal have also been made, but these have not been successful. The present invention deals with a method of safely and completely eliminating the excitant in a manner which can be carried out by the dog's owner and which does not require the services of a veterinarian.